I have a 1.6 2001 ford focus, it is running fine but seem to be suffering from what seems to be an oil loss problem. There's no "mayo" or anything like that under the engine oil filler cap suggesting the head gasket is fine. There is also no sign to any leaks at the bottom of the car/engine. My previous cars peugeot 106 and mitsubishi carisma never lost any engine oil.
Is it common for these engines to consume engine oil?
Thanks in advance guys

catch

May 18, 2011, 8:45 am

I had a Focus Mk1 1.8 Zetec it had circa 80k on the clock when it was written off. It never needed topping up between it's annual oil change. Same with my current Mk2 1.6, never moves off the full maker on the dip stick, in fact that goes for all the cars I've owned in the last forty odd years. If you cannot see any oil leaks, it must be burning it, does it smoke ?

had exactly the same issue with mine, and from posts on here and a big of digging myself it seems that most suffer from this. from reading, it seems that piston rings are the culprit.
How much oil is it using?

catch

May 18, 2011, 4:17 pm

How many Mk1 1.6 petrol where made, now what percentage of those are on forums as "drinking/loosing/ burning oil"

Did a Google [url="http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Mk1+1.6+petrol+are+they+an+engine+that+is+known+for+drinking+oil%3F&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a#hl=en&pq=mk1%20focus%201.6%20petrol%20are%20they%20an%20engine%20that%20is%20known%20for%20drinking%2F%20burning%20oil&xhr=t&q=Mk1+Focus+1.6+petrol+are+they+an+engine+that+is+known+for+drinking/+burning/using&cp=81&pf=p&sclient=psy&client=firefox-a&hs=Aq3&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB%3Aofficial&biw=1152&bih=594&source=hp&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=Mk1+Focus+1.6+petrol+are+they+an+engine+that+is+known+for+drinking/+burning/using+oil&pbx=1&fp=406b21159bfa7b1e"]Focus 1.6 petrol are they an engine that is known for drinking/ burning/using o[/url]

The results hardly back up your opinion Stef. And you say after a "bit of digging" well if it was the case of it being renowned for drinking oil, you would not have to dig the web, links would be falling off the page onto your lap.

Sure you are going to get motors who's engines need looking at because they are either badly assembled, badly maintained or worn out. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Focus_%28international%29"]I mean they produced a few of them[/url]But to say "most" suffer from it is total bollards

Quote the article:
Altogether, over 9.2 million Ford Focus vehicles in two generations have been sold worldwide since its 1998 launch in Europe.[5] The Ford Focus was the best selling car in the United Kingdom for January 2011.End quote

And that reputation was built on a car that was renowned for drinking oil .........I don't think so

stef123

May 18, 2011, 5:27 pm

[quote name='catch' timestamp='1305731870' post='127881']
How many Mk1 1.6 petrol where made, now what percentage of those are on forums as "drinking/loosing/ burning oil"

Did a Google [url="http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Mk1+1.6+petrol+are+they+an+engine+that+is+known+for+drinking+oil%3F&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a#hl=en&pq=mk1%20focus%201.6%20petrol%20are%20they%20an%20engine%20that%20is%20known%20for%20drinking%2F%20burning%20oil&xhr=t&q=Mk1+Focus+1.6+petrol+are+they+an+engine+that+is+known+for+drinking/+burning/using&cp=81&pf=p&sclient=psy&client=firefox-a&hs=Aq3&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB%3Aofficial&biw=1152&bih=594&source=hp&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=Mk1+Focus+1.6+petrol+are+they+an+engine+that+is+known+for+drinking/+burning/using+oil&pbx=1&fp=406b21159bfa7b1e"]Focus 1.6 petrol are they an engine that is known for drinking/ burning/using o[/url]

The results hardly back up your opinion Stef. And you say after a "bit of digging" well if it was the case of it being renowned for drinking oil, you would not have to dig the web, links would be falling off the page onto your lap.

Sure you are going to get motors who's engines need looking at because they are either badly assembled, badly maintained or worn out. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Focus_%28international%29"]I mean they produced a few of them[/url]But to say "most" suffer from it is total bollards

Quote the article:
Altogether, over 9.2 million Ford Focus vehicles in two generations have been sold worldwide since its 1998 launch in Europe.[5] The Ford Focus was the best selling car in the United Kingdom for January 2011.End quote

And that reputation was built on a car that was renowned for drinking oil .........I don't think so
[/quote]

Well after owning one myself and searching to find a common cause i certainly wasnt short of very similar cases! And from my finding and readings here the 1.6 engines do love to drink oil probably because of broken or cracked piston rings.. admittedly perhaps 'most' wasnt my best choice of word

i never hear many people saying their 1.8 engine drinks oil

It doesnt take much googling to find other plenty cases of 1.6 zetec engines burning oil. Mondeos have a good reputation, but common issues with injectors and egr valves dont stop people do they?

Im saying no more, im not arguing about a subject i looked into for weeks after discovering i had an oil consumption issue

artscot79

May 18, 2011, 5:55 pm

[quote name='stef123' timestamp='1305736027' post='127886']
Well after owning one myself and searching to find a common cause i certainly wasnt short of very similar cases! And from my finding and readings here the 1.6 engines do love to drink oil probably because of broken or cracked piston rings..

i never hear many people saying their 1.8 engine drinks oil

It doesnt take much googling to find other plenty cases of 1.6 zetec engines burning oil. Mondeos have a good reputation, but common issues with injectors and egr valves dont stop people do they?

Im saying no more, im not arguing about a subject i looked into for weeks after discovering i had an oil consumption issue
[/quote]

its a hit and miss thing some 1.6 engines have an oil consumption issue ford are aware and simply recommend a top up between services 1.8s being a different engine dont have the issue so yes if you pwn a 1.6 oil loss is common and known as long as the loss isnt heavy then theres no issues monthly or fortnightly oil checks are always a good thing

wijcc

May 18, 2011, 10:09 pm

[quote]How much oil is it using? [/quote]

I had to top up about 3 Litres after 6-7 months

stef123

May 19, 2011, 8:01 am

[quote name='wijcc' timestamp='1305752947' post='127957']
I had to top up about 3 Litres after 6-7 months
[/quote]

what sort of mileage are you covering in that period?

i reckon in 6 months i was using about 5 litres of oil, over 10k miles

wijcc

May 19, 2011, 12:21 pm

[quote name='stef123' timestamp='1305788511' post='127978']
what sort of mileage are you covering in that period?

i reckon in 6 months i was using about 5 litres of oil, over 10k miles
[/quote]

I think I did about 7-8K miles~

By the way exactly how many litres of engine oil does the 1.6 engine take when you change the oil and oil filter?

Also someone suggested that I use a thicker grade of engine oil (currently using 5/30).. what grade engine oil is everyone using?

catch

May 19, 2011, 3:11 pm

[quote name='wijcc' timestamp='1305804062' post='128005']
I think I did about 7-8K miles~

By the way exactly how many litres of engine oil does the 1.6 engine take when you change the oil and oil filter?
[/quote]

less than five

And I will reiterate, an engine burning more than a normal engine is expected to hold in it's sump, every ten thousand miles is not the norm. .......nor am I going to argue about it.............I'm merely making a statement of fact.

artscot79

May 19, 2011, 9:26 pm

[quote name='catch' timestamp='1305814295' post='128020']
less than five

And I will reiterate, an engine burning more than a normal engine is expected to hold in it's sump, every ten thousand miles is not the norm. .......nor am I going to argue about it.............I'm merely making a statement of fact.

[/quote]

gotta admit i was talking about approx 1 litre over that kind of mileage that amount of oil is excessive and theres clearly an issue somewhere ford admit to around 1 to 1.5 lotres max but thats more oil than the engine takes that youre burning

Josh2000

December 30, 2013, 1:25 pm

My mum has a 12reg FORD FOCUS ESTATE 1.6TDCi ZETEC IN MOONDUST SILVER, SHES COVERED JUST OVER 28000MILES IN IT, FOR THE PAST 2WEEKS THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON A DAY AFTER ITS SECOND SERVICE, SHE TOOK IT TO THE SUPPLYING DEALER BURNS GARAGES OF CONGLETON THEY CHANGED IT,WELL TODAY IT CAME ON AGAIN NOW THEY HAVE TO HAVE IT FOR A DAY,MY MUM HAD A 09 HYUNDAI I30 1.6 CRDi STYLE 5DRS IN PHANTOM BLACK SHE DID 39000MILES IN 3YEARS,HAD NO PROBLEMS MY MUM IS THINKING OF SELLING FOCUS AND GETTING i40 TOURER, BTW IN THE EARLIER IN 2000 THE FIESTA SHE OWNED SET ON FIRE,SHE WAS THEN STUCK WITH A ROVER 416 GRAN TURISMO IN GREEN THAT BROKE DOWN ALL THE TIME SHE GOT IT OFF MY AUNT, AND SHE GAVE IT HER FOR £4500, MY MUM FOUND OUT THAT I CAN HAVE A MOTABILITY CAR AS I GET DLA

jeebowhite

December 30, 2013, 3:34 pm

Josh,

Not sure what your asking of us?

mick85

December 30, 2013, 8:19 pm

Oil consumption can be down to a number of thing ford cover them selfs by saying ur car might need a litre every month or two but one main causes is driving style do u drive car hard before it up to operating temp u a high revver other reasons are valve stem oil seals piston rings or leaks if u do a compression test an check for leaks u will get good indication ur engine condition